Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria
Australian National HerbariumBIOGRAPHY

Re: Dr Richard Sanders Rogers, December 1861 to March 1942.

A brief overview of the man and his interests.

Dr Richard Sanders Rogers, affectionately referred to as RSR by close friends
and family, was a private medical practitioner in Adelaide though was more
widely known in botanical circles as an authority on native orchids in Australasia.
Whilst the collection and research of orchids became a consuming passion he
was foremost in applying new technology to medicine and in teaching forensic
procedures. He was also an enthusiastic member of a number of professional
societies.
The comments that follow may give the reader an insight into the character
of the man and his drive for achievement. Whereas he was foremost in a number
of endeavours, and was widely recognised, he was a modest man and would quickly
play down any public acclamation.

His Scholarship to the University of Adelaide.

As a teenager, RSR went to the Pulteney Street State School - a small church
school - founded in 1847. The school is now Pulteney Grammar School at South
Terrace.
In 1878, at the age of 17, the Education Department offered two Scholarships
to the University of Adelaide. In those days, apart from the usual Uni entrance
subjects of Math, English and History, passing exams in either Latin or Greek
were also required.
To achieve his goal of a University education, RSR attended private Greek
tuition starting at 6am each day for an hour. He did this by walking from
Hackney to Norwood. He passed in Greek and won one of the Scholarships. This
caused a stir as he was the first State School boy in South Australia to enter
University in 1879.
He went on from his Bachelor of Arts to be qualified in Medicine, Botany and
History, eventually attaining the highest qualifications in Medicine, Arts
and Science.

His interest in Hypnotism.

In 1893, RSR possibly associated hypnotism, called mesmerism in the late
1700s, with faith healing. Becoming interested in the subject he applied what
started off as parlour games to practical application at his medical practice
in the interests of patient well-being. As far as can be ascertained, RSR
was the first doctor in private practice to perform a major operation while
acting as both surgeon and hypnotist. This was in 1895 and the episode was
published in The Advertiser.
The case involved the removal of a cyst from the breast of a young women patient
while she was still awake and talking to assistants and witnesses standing
nearby.
She lived on to an old age.
This was a first for medicine and a first for South Australia.

His work with hypnotism was an example of his becoming interested in a subject
and then feeling that he must master that subject. This trait was with him
throughout his life.

The application of X-rays to medicine.

The German physicist, Roentgen, published his paper on unknown radiations
in early 1896. The radiations became known as X-Rays. In August of that year
RSR imported an X-ray tube and demonstrated its function to a number of people
in Adelaide. At the same time professors in Adelaide and Melbourne were determining
the properties of these X-rays and the possible application of this hazardous
emanation.
It seems that RSR was the first private, medical practitioner in South Australia
to get on the band wagon.
Later in 1896 he demonstrated the device to the newly appointed Chief Commissioner
of Police, Colonel Madley. RSR put coins in a leather purse and darkened the
room at his practice in Flinders Street. When power from an accumulator was
switched on the onlookers could see the outlines of the coins on a fluorescing
screen. Colonel Madley did not believe it was a genuine effect and wanted
to see the test repeated in a lighted room. Of course the contrast was so
poor that the test seemingly had failed. However, some months later RSR was
able to display some X-ray plates to the Commissioner as 'tangible evidence'.
The original equipment was passed onto the Adelaide School of Mines museum
in 1942 after RSR had died.

Native Australian Orchids.

By 1905, then aged 44, RSR had had his fair share of hypnotism, telepathy,
time and its properties, séances and the like, and felt the need for
a new mental diversion. He began what he assumed might be a gentle hobby to
study orchids and their diversity to help ease his professional tensions.
Being a full time doctor, and being involved with many professional institutions
as a board member, and a father with a son then 3 years old with a curiosity
to pull things apart and see how they work, his tensions were real enough.

Needless-to-say, he became engrossed and in later years his study of orchids
and his involvement with like-minded peers, began to infringe upon his professional
time. In this pursuit he was not the first anymore. Eminent botanists including
Brown, Fitzgerald,
Mueller and others, proceeded
his contribution. But the lure of the flower's beauty, the chance discovery
of a new genus or variety, drove him to fields afar including New Zealand,
Tasmania, Papua & New Guinea, West Australia, Kangaroo Island, and so
on. RSR's wife, Jean Scott Rogers,
accompanied her husband on many of these excursions. In his later years, RSR
would say that the time spent exploring the orchid family within Australia
alone, had been the most personally rewarding and fulfilling of any hobby.

From 1906 to 1940 RSR became well known in the field and made many technical
contributions to orchidology by way of the Transactions of the Royal Society
of South Australia. Nowadays, the work being done by members of the Native
Orchid Society of South Australia, the R.S.Rogers Shadehouse
Shade-house project and the research of other similar groups is testimony
to a broad-based love and commitment to the caring and preservation of Australasian
native orchids.

Suffice to say the Adelaide Mail, in April 1913, published an interview
with Dr Rogers about his hobby. Below are quoted some passages from the interview
that add to an understanding of the character of Dr Rogers. The journalist
wrote:

"His essential drawback has been his own innate modesty. Had he been
of a more pushing nature and had not made light of his accomplishments,
the probabilities are that Dr Rogers would have occupied a far more influential
position, even, than he does at the present time.
"He is a most companionable man as those who enjoy the circle of his
friendship will readily affirm.
"He is believed to have said: 'Study orchids carefully and you will
soon acquire the 'orchid eye'. Once that has happened the 'orchid fever'
follows which is the least painful of all known fevers. It is infectious
among children, who, to my mind, cannot be told too much about our beautiful
native flowers'.
"Dr Rogers referred to the initial nurturing of his interest (of orchids)
when as a student at Adelaide University in the 1880s, he developed a love
of botany which was encouraged by Prof. Ralf Tate and Baron von Mueller.
Dr Rogers and the Baron occasionally went on botanical excursions over the
Adelaide hills."

In the article mentioned, it was noted that many of the orchids in RSR's
collection had been painted by Miss
Rosa Fiveash of North Adelaide. Due to her technical accuracy and 'orchid
eye' true coloured reproductions were circulated to the major herbariums of
the world.

As a matter of record, it was in 1908 that RSR, having been greatly impressed
by Miss Fiveash's remarkable fidelity for botanical detail, persuaded her
to concentrate upon Australian orchids. RSR provided various aids for her
detailed work including German lenses made by Zeiss of Jena. For 30 more years,
Miss Fiveash gave of her skill to depict the living orchid in a manner beyond
mere words and the barrier of language. Rosa died in 1938 at the age of 83,
just a few years before the death of 'her dear doctor'.

Postscript.

A biography of the Reverend Rupp
includes a comment by Rupp where he said that it had been his very great privilege
to possess the personal friendship of Dr Rogers for close on twenty years.
Though they never actually met until RSR visited Sydney in 1932 for the ANZAAS
meeting, they had long been in correspondence. Reverend Rupp said that, "only
those who have been recipients of Dr Rogers' letters can appreciate what a
joy they were to the seeker after knowledge. And he was generous beyond measure
with unobtrusive gifts of books, plates, photographs and instruments which
he thought would be helpful."

R. S. Rogers Shadehouse, (1982  )

Sometimes known as the R. S. Rogers Orchid House, the R. S. Rogers Shadehouse
project was the inspiration of Roy
Hargreaves and the late Jim Simmons, two foundation members of the Native
Orchid Society of South Australia. The pipe-framed structure was built in
conjunction with the Australian Orchid Foundation in the grounds of the Adelaide
Botanic Gardens and opened in 1982. It was named after Dr Richard Sanders
Rogers in recognition of his contribution to Australian orchidology.

In 1993 the orchid collection was relocated to the Black Hill Flora Research
Centre, near Adelaide. This was successfully achieved after a 12 month period
of quarantine in the original building. A considerable effort of care and
commitment went into the transition of the plants in order to ensure the pot
soils were free of Phytophthoracinnamoni, a deadly fungus that
is spreading through local soils slowly devouring the root systems of a significant
range of plants. The project has been directed and maintained by members of
the Native Orchid Society and in particular the orchid collection has been
managed by Hargreaves throughout its existence at Black Hill and the Adelaide
Botanic Gardens.

The roles of the project have been to perpetuate native orchid species in
cultivation, to provide plants for research projects and to provide visiting
botanists with live plants to study. The initial orchid collection comprised
some 200 pots of terrestrial orchids many of which were from interstate.

The success of the project can be measured by various standards not the least
of which are the number of visits of eminent botanists from Australia and
overseas countries. In particular, in 1984 and 1985 plants from the collection
(locally known as the Black Hill collection) won the Kay Nesbitt Trophy for
a cross between Caladenia flava and Caladenia latifolia. Another
success story was finding seedlings of Spiranthes sinensis coming up
in pots of other plants being cultivated at the Black Hill Flora Centre. Apparently
the seeds were being dispersed naturally by the wind.

A more obvious measure of success, and an indication of the dedication by
members of the Native Orchid Society to their collection, has been the awards
from local and national competition given to Black Hill specimens. Over a
period of six years, from 1992 to 1997, terrestrial natives and terrestrial
hybrids from Black Hill have won at least thirteen 1st prizes and
eleven 2nd prizes in open competition. In particular a Caladenia
hybrid came 2nd at the Australian Native Orchid Conference in 1996
and a Caladeniaflava came 1st at the Affiliated
Societies Interclub competition in 1997. Overall, Black Hill specimens of
Acianthus, Caladenia, Chilogolottis, Diuris, Eriochilus, Glossodia, Leptoceras,
Lyperanthus and Pterostylis have performed exceptionally.

Further information on the R. S. Rogers Shadehouse may be obtained from the
Native Orchid Society of South Australia, P.O. Box 565, Unley, S.A. 5061.

TECHNICAL PAPERS ON AUSTRALASIAN ORCHIDS

PUBLISHED BY Dr R S ROGERS, 1861 - 1942

Key to publications

ANZAAS - Presidentail Address, Botany Sect. M, Sydney, 1932

Ang&Rob - Angus and RobertsonAustralian Encyclopedia - Orchids, 1926

Barr Smith - Special Collections. Barr Smith Library, Adelaide Uni.

Black - J.M.BlackFlora of
South Australia, Vol. 1, 1922

contrib. - Dr R.S.Rogers contributing author

JB - Journal of Botany

JRSWA - Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia

PRST - Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania

SAED - South Australian Education Department

TRSQ - Transactions of the Royal Society of Queensland

TRSSA - Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia

TRSV - Transactions of the Royal Society of Victoria

VN - Victorian Naturalist

Year

Subject

Publication

Vol.

Page

1906

Notes on Caladenia x tutelata Rogers

TRSSA

30

225

1906

Notes on Thelymitra venosa R.Br.

TRSSA

30

125

1907

Notes on Caladenia gladiolata Rogers

TRSSA

31

210

1907

Further notes on Caladenia x tutelata Rogers

TRSSA

31

211

1907

Notes on Caleana major R.Br.

TRSSA

31

127

1907

Notes on Diuris palachila Rogers

TRSSA

31

209

1907

Notes on Microtis orbicularis Rogers

TRSSA

31

63

1907

Notes on Pterostylis furcata Lindl.

TRSSA

31

125

1907

Revised Notes on Thelymitra venosa R.Br.

TRSSA

31

125

1908

Notes on Prasophyllum occidentale Rogers

TRSSA

32

11

1909

Some South Australian Orchids - a paper from Children's Hour

SAED

23p

1909

Notes on the Orchids of Kangaroo Island inc. two new species

TRSSA

33

11

1909

Critical Review of South Australian Prasophylla

TRSSA

33

197

1909

Notes on Caladeniabicalliata
Rogers

TRSSA

33

17

1909

Notes on Caladenia ovata Rogers

TRSSA

33

16

1909

Notes on Prasophyllum album Rogers

TRSSA

33

211

1909

Notes on Prasophyllum constrictum Rogers

TRSSA

33

213

1909

Notes on Prasophyllum elatum R.Br.

TRSSA

33

209

1909

Notes on Prasophyllum fitzgeraldii Rogers et Maiden

TRSSA

33

216

1909

Notes on Prasophyllum fuscum R.Br.

TRSSA

33

215

1909

Notes on Prasophyllum gracile Rogers

TRSSA

33

213

1909

Notes on Prasophyllum nigricans R.Br.

TRSSA

33

204

1909

Further notes on Prasophyllum occidentale Rogers

TRSSA

33

214

1909

Notes on Prasophyllum odoratum Rogers

TRSSA

33

209

1909

Notes on Prasophyllum odoratum var.album Rogers

TRSSA

33

211

1909

Notes on Prasophyllum patens R.Br.

TRSSA

33

214

1909

Notes on Prasophyllum pruinosum Rogers

TRSSA

33

211

1909

Notes on Prasophyllum rotundiflorum Rogers

TRSSA

33

210

1909

Notes on Prasophyllum tepperi Muell. ex Rogers

TRSSA

33

206

1909

Notes on Pterostylis obtusa R.Br.

TRSSA

33

13

1909

Notes on Thelymitra epipactoides Muell.

TRSSA

33

262

1911

Introduction to the Study of South Australian Orchids, 2nd Ed

SAED

63p

1912

Ewart and ReesFlora of Australia

contrib.

1912

Notes on Prasophyllum suttonii Rogers et Rees

TRSV

25

112

1913

Mechanism of Pollination in certain Australian Orchids

TRSSA

37

48

1914

Additions to Australian Orchidaceous Plants

TRSSA

38

359

1914

Botany and Plant Pathology of South Australia, T.G.B.Osborn

contrib.

1914

Notes on Thelymitra truncata Rogers

TRSSA

38

343

1914

Notes on Caladenia bryceana Rogers

TRSSA

38

359

1914

Notes on Pterostylis vereenae Rogers

TRSSA

38

360

1915

Notes on Pterostylis alpina Rogers

TRSV

28

108

1915

Notes on Pterostylis falcata Rogers

TRSV

28

106

1917

Notes on Thelymitra azurea Rogers

TRSSA

41

342

1917

Notes on Thelymitra ixioides var. truncata Rogers

TRSSA

41

343

1918

Critical Examination of the Rupp group of Greenhoods

TRSSA

42

1918

Notes on Calochilus cupreus Rogers

TRSSA

42

24

1918

Notes on Chiloglottis pescottiana Rogers

TRSV

30

139

1918

Notes on Prasophyllum regium Rogers

TRSSA

42

27

1918

Notes on Pterostylis pusilla Rogers

TRSSA

42

26

1920

Contributions to Australian Orchidology

TRSSA

44

322

1920

Contributions to the Orchidaceous Flora of Papua

TRSSA

44

110

1920

Notes on Caladenia cordiformis Rogers

TRSSA

44

330

1920

Notes on Caladenia iridescens Rogers

TRSSA

44

328

1920

Notes on Caladenia patersonii var. longicauda (Lindl) Rogers

TRSSA

44

351

1920

Notes on Caladenia pectinata Rogers

TRSSA

44

352

1920

Notes on Drakaea jeanensis Rogers

TRSSA

44

322

1920

Notes on Microtis truncata Rogers

TRSSA

44

326

1920

Notes on Prasophyllum ellipticum Rogers

TRSSA

44

325

1920

Notes on Prasophyllum lanceolatum Rogers

TRSSA

44

323

1920

Notes on Prasophyllum ovale var. triglochin Rogers

TRSSA

44

339

1920

Notes on Pterostylis recurva Benth.

TRSSA

44

340

1920

Notes on Thelymitra antennifera Hook. f.

TRSSA

44

333

1921

Contributions to Orchidaceous Flora of Queensland

TRSQ

32

117

1921

Orchidaceous Flora of Queensland inc Habenaria (Revised)

TRSQ

32

135

1921

Notes on Diuris gynostemium and pollination in Phajus

TRSSA

45

264

1921

Notes on Zeuxine attenuata Rogers et White

TRSQ

32

123

1921

Notes on Zeuxine oblonga Rogers et White

TRSQ

32

121

1922

South Australian Orchids, a reprint of Orchidaceae by Rogers

Rogers

43p

1922

Orchidaceae .A 40 page contribution
to Black's Flora of SA

Black

Part 1

114

1922

Contributions to Orchidology of Australia and New Zealand

TRSSA

46

148

1922

Notes on Caladenia carnea var. aurantiaca Rogers

TRSSA

46

154

1922

Notes pn Caladenia pumila Rogers

TRSSA

46

152

1922

Notes on Diuris brevifolia Rogers

TRSSA

46

148

1922

Notes on Prasophyllum australe var. viscidum Rogers

TRSSA

46

154

1922

Notes on Prasophyllum brainei Rogers

TRSSA

46

149

1922

Notes on Prasophyllum frenchii var.tadgellianum Rogers

TRSSA

46

153

1922

Description of Thelymitra luteocilium Fitzg.

Black

Part 1

120

1922

Notes on Thelymitra urnalis Fitzg.

TRSSA

46

157

1923

Distribution of Australian Orchids

TRSSA

47

322

1923

Contributions to the Orchidaceous Flora of Australia

TRSSA

47

337

1923

Notes on Caladenia cristata Rogers

TRSSA

47

337

1923

Further Notes on Caladenia pectinata Rogers

TRSSA

47

341

1923

Further Notes on Drakaea jeanensis Rogers

TRSSA

47

340

1923

Notes on Microtis oblonga Rogers

TRSSA

47

339

1923

Further Notes on Microtis truncata Rogers

TRSSA

47

340

1923

Notes on Prasophyllum colemaniae Rogers

TRSSA

47

337

1923

Further Notes on Prasophyllum ellipticum Rogers

TRSSA

47

341

1923

Notes on Prasophyllum lanceolatum Rogers

TRSSA

47

340

1923

Notes on Prasophyllum tadgellianum Rogers

TRSSA

47

338

1923

Notes on Pterostylis decurva Rogers

TRSSA

47

339

1924

Petalochilus - a new genus of New Zealand orchid

JB

62

65

1925

Contributions to Orchidology of Papua & New Guinea

TRSSA

49

254

1926

The genus Spiculaea Lindl. and its taxonomic relationships

VN

43

179

1926

Article on Australian Orchids - Australian Encyclopedia

Ang&Rob

2

232

1927

Contributions to Orchidology of Australia

TRSSA

51

1, 291

1927

Notes on Caladenia alpina Rogers

TRSSA

51

12

1927

Notes on Caladenia audasii Rogers

TRSSA

51

295

1927

Notes on Caladenia carnea varieties (R.Br.)

TRSSA

51

13

1927

Notes on Caladenia lavandulacea Rogers

TRSSA

51

11

1927

Notes on Caladenia radialis Rogers

TRSSA

51

296

1927

Notes on Caladenia triangularis Rogers

TRSSA

51

10

1927

Notes on Calochilus imberbis Rogers

TRSSA

51

4

1927

Notes on Calochilus imberbis Rogers

VN

44

18

1927

Notes on Diuris fastidiosa Rogers

TRSSA

51

6

1927

Notes on Goadbyella gracilis Rogers

TRSSA

51

294

1927

Notes on Prasophyllum acuminatum Rogers

TRSSA

51

291

1927

Notes on Prasophyllum hartii Rogers

TRSSA

51

8

1927

Notes on Prasophyllum nublingi Rogers

TRSSA

51

293

1927

Notes on Prasophyllum ruppii Rogers

TRSSA

51

292

1927

Notes on Prasophyllum validum Rogers

TRSSA

51

7

1927

Notes on Pterostylis scabra var. robusta Rogers

TRSSA

51

296

1927

Notes on Sarcochilus spathulatus Rogers

TRSSA

51

1

1927

Notes on Thelymitra carnea R.Br.

TRSSA

51

5

1927

Notes on Thelymitra chasmogama Rogers

TRSSA

51

4

1928

The new genus Rhizanthella gardneri Rogers

JRSWA

15

1

1930

Contributions to Orchidology of Papua and Australia

TRSSA

54

37

1930

Notes on Caladenia bicolor Rogers

TRSSA

54

46

1930

Notes on Caladenia rigida Rogers

TRSSA

54

45

1930

Notes on Calochilus saprophyticus Rogers

TRSSA

54

41

1930

Notes on Microtis magnadenia Rogers

TRSSA

54

44

1930

Notes on Phreatia robusta Rogers

TRSSA

54

39

1930

Notes on Prasophyllum hartii Rogers var. hartii

TRSSA

54

44

1930

Notes on Prasophyllum hartiivar.
parviflorum Rogers

TRSSA

54

44

1930

Description of Thelymitra daltonii Rogers

TRSSA

54

42

1930

Notes on Thelymitra sargentii Rogers

TRSSA

54

41

1930

Notes on Thelymitra spiralis var.spirilis(Lindl.) Muell.

TRSSA

54

43

1931

Pollination of Caladenia deformis R.Br.

TRSSA

55

143

1931

Contribution to the Orchidology of Tasmania

PRST

105

1932

Some Developments in Orchidolgy - Presidential Address

ANZAAS

Sec.M

330

1932

Notes on Caladenia longii Rogers

PRST

1931

105

1933

Contributions to the Orchidology of Aust. inc. B weinthalii Rogers

TRSSA

57

95

1935

The Bulbophyllum cilioglossum Rogers from North Queensland

TRSSA

59

204

1938

Contributions to the Orchidology of Australia

TRSSA

62

12

1938

Notes on Caladenia sigmoidea Rogers

TRSSA

62

12

1938

Notes on Thelymitra dedmanae Rogers

TRSSA

62

13

1940

Notes on Prasophyllum parviflorum Rogers

VN

57

191

1940

Contrib'ns to Orchidaceous Flora of Australia (inc.P.allantoidea)

TRSSA

64

139

1943

Notes on Thelymitra rubra Fitzg.

Black

Part 2

216

draft only

Notes on R D Fitzgerald's 92 unpublished plates

Barr Smith

NOTES:

The literature suggests that Dr Rogers authored at least 85 orchid
species for Australia,

13 new species for Papua & New Guinea, and 3 new species for New
Zealand.

Subsequently, the taxa of many of these species has changed to reflect
the results of

classification research - refer to the Census of Australian Vascular
Plants.

In 1906 Dr Rogers published his first paper in Vol 30 of the Transactions
of the Royal Society

of South Australia. During the next 34 years he contributed many other
papers ending

with Vol 64 in 1940.The first
paper dealt with a new species he had found and he named it

Caladenia x tutelata.

Dr Rogers said, "If you recognise the column and labellum you
will have gained the orchid eye."

File ID

rsrorch2.xls

Rev: 01.03.2004L R Scott Rogers,
Sydney

Additional Notes

Some orchids have been named by Dr Rogers and his wife, Jean, for help given
to others, and vici versa e.g.: